Samuel Gawith Commonwealth Mixture

An unbelievably smooth and cool smoke that is entirely planar -- no depth, no subtlety, no nuance, no complexity -- but it's nonetheless a most rich, full and satisfying smoke.

Others here have commented on the single note of this blend, which is entirely accurate. But if you happen to like that note, which I do -- very much -- then this is a wonderful blend. Single notes can be very pleasant: the sound of wind in the trees, the sound of river water... In this blend it's the timbre of the note that delights, and this is a velvety bassoon.

It's an ambient, terrifically full smoke that may not tease you with its subtlety or depth, and sometimes that's just what you want when all you're looking for is an excellent, smooth, simple, solid, pleasant smoke you can sink your teeth into, a real latakia lover's dream. Not an everyday smoke for me, but definitely in my rotation.

Appearance: A mostly dark ribbon cut

Aroma: Latakia dominates the aroma of this blend, with only a trace of the Virginia noted. There does not appear to be any Oriental in the blend.

Packing: and lighting The blend packs well and lights easily, although not unusually so.

Initial flavor: The first blast of flavor is almost disappointing, based upon the aroma. The Latakia does not dominate the flavor as it does in Penzance. It is there, but balanced well by the Virginias.

Mid-bowl: Retains the well balanced characters of the sweet and smokey elements, no real layers of flavor. Somewhat monochromatic, but not boring. This can be smoked and enjoyed while otherwise occupied.

Finish: No real change in character right to the botom. As with all SG blends, a beautiful ash.

Summary: A nice enough Latakia blend, but I miss the Turkish.

Ready to smoke out of my tin. Tin note latakia woodsy and creosote like. Lit well, char light was very pleasant with some sweetness and much latakia flavor. Burn rate was excellent. Full of rich flavor with not much complexity. Smoke mouth feel was excellent, no tongue burn. Billows of righteous smoke from this blend. My wife would not be present when smoking this great blend, yet commented how well it smelled on my clothes and stache.

I made a mistake with this blend from the beginning. I thought it was an aromatic blend and I didn't open it. Huge mistake. You didn't know? Couldn't you ask? Probably my mistake was beneficial for the blend, as it was sealed in my “cellar” for 2 years. 50% Virginia 50% Latakia. At times it gave me the impression that it has a very subtle but pleasant scent. It is the first time that I got excited by smoking Cyprian Latakia. Its Virginia is very good and it adds a sweetness and a creamy texture to the mix. Its moderate nicotine strength lets you smoke it pleasantly all day long. It does not contain Oriental, but even though this blend has a well balanced flavor that will surprise you. It is broken flake with very good moisture and a very nice aroma when you smell the tobacco inside the tin.

This is the one Samuel Gawith tobacco you're likely to find between shipments as it doesn't seem to enjoy the popularity of the rest of the line.

I have mixed feelings about this one. I have had both nondescript and awe inspiring smokes with this one. I have not been able to figure out what made for the good ones, and anyway no tobacco should make you work so hard to play to its strengths.

On a good day, there is a marvelous sour tang to the Latakia here that elevates this smoke into incredible territory. Good luck replicating that experience though. Most bowls are a lackluster, ordinary smoke that you could easily miss if something else in the room caught your attention. This one should age well due to the 50% Va content. Also worth mentioning is that this is pretty tame for a blend that is 50% Latakia.

Update 11/21/2011

I am adding one star. I don't know what it is about this simple 50/50 mixture. I get wildly inconsistent experiences with it. At its worst, it's an ok medium-full blend. Somewhere in the neighborhood of average. But I've had numerous bowls of this that had me singing its praises. I need to narrow down the factors that contribute to making this one sing. If you can dedicate yourself to figuring this one out, it's a great Lat blend.

First a big thanks for the over generous sample of this fine pipe tobacco from a fellow piper. So, this is Latakia and Virginia only. Interesting. This is a nice-looking ribbon of medium/dark reddish-brown tobaccos interspersed with black tobacco which I take to be the Latakia. The tin note reminds me of a nice mild smell of leather. It was really foggy and damp this morning as I sat on the porch with my coffee and proceeded to lite this one up. Maybe it was the dampness but it took me quite a number of matches before I could get this one started properly. We will blame operator error. Mostly what I tasted throughout the day as this was the only blend, I smoked was the Latakia. I am sure the Virginia was lurking in there somewhere. Quite a few of the reviewers mention that this is a 50/50 blend and it may well be but the Lat tends to override the VA. Not sure if this makes sense but throughout the day smoking this felt like the smoke kind of lays thick on the tongue, probably due to the fact I smoked more than normal yesterday which I always seem to do at the club. I did a search on this site out of curiosity and found 79 Latakia/Virginia blends that are listed. If you can live without the Turkish/Burley/Perique/Cav give this one a try. If you buy it and tinker with it by adding your own ingredients you might as well pass as this is a good smoke in its own right.

A delicious full bodied English mixture where the Latakia really shines without being overpowering.

It reminded me very much of nightcap but without the Latakia being cloying and mild enough to be an all day smoke.

It definitely needs to be dried out before being smoked and burns quite slowly.

Is this a Lat-bomb? The strong (and delicious) smell suggests it is, but once you smoke it the Latakia is well behaved and the smoke is very balanced. It is earthy and woody without being overly peppery - no wonder since it has neither Orientals nor Perique. The smoke is rich and the taste creamy, without the (in)famous Lakeland soapiness of GH English/Balkan blends. Virginias stay firmly in the background and do not provide too much of the usual sweetness/fruitiness. A full bodied blend that burns well and does not bite. Uniform throughout the whole bowl. For all smokers who crave Latakia, this is one to go for.

Update: I have bought a pouch recently and it was disappointing. No idea why, but I have tasted soap, typical for Lakelands. Now this flavour should not be present in an English blend. I am downgrading my rating by one notch. Will try again, of course.

50% Virginia and 50% Latakia for another great EM by Samuel Gawith. Intense, meditative, perfect for a great evening smoke. 4,0/5 in my personal rating system.